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Your Philadelphia Basketball News SourceSat, 28 Mar 2015 13:33:06 +0000en-UShourly1http://wordpress.org/?v=4.0.16 for the Final 9 of Tank 2.0http://philadunkia.com/?p=13570&utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=6-for-the-final-9-of-tank-2-0
http://philadunkia.com/?p=13570#commentsSat, 28 Mar 2015 13:26:30 +0000http://philadunkia.com/?p=13570Last night, despite a super-human effort from emerging Rookie of the Year candidate Nerlens Noel (30 points; 14 boards; 70% shooting form the field), the 76ers lost their 55th contest of Tank 2.0. Instead of analyzing the fact that Brett Brown’s squad missed their last 10 shots of the 3rd quarter last night or how they trailed the playoff bound Clippers by 32 during the final quarter, I thought we’d try something a little different on a Saturday morning.

Thankfully, the 76ers have only 9 games remaining in the 2014-15 season. Seven of those contests are against playoff bound / caliber teams, while the other two games are against fellow tankers — the Los Angels Lakers and New York Knicks. After careful consideration of the remaining schedule and the currents status of the Sixers, I have assembled a list of six items I want to see from Brett Brown and this 76ers roster over the last nine games of the season.

1) Continued development from Nerlens Noel: Noel has been a beast as of late, and I would love to see that trend continue for the rest of the season. Noel has exploded since the All-Star break (and more specifically since trade deadline day) – averaging a virtual double-double with nearly three blocks per game in that time. He has been visibly more aggressive and assertive on the offensive end, and clearly more confident, while on defense he is already a dominant in development. He is also the only player in the NBA to be in the top 10 in both blocks and steals. Not bad for a rookie.

Perhaps most impressive so far this season for Noel is the fact that he has missed only 4 games, and none of them knee-related, after sitting out the entirety of last season. His durability has helped to ease the worries of some of the Philadelphia faithful. Hopefully Joel Embiid can have similar success, as far as staying out on the court, next season.

Regardless of whether or not he wins the Rookie of the Year award this year, Noel has established himself as a great young player with a developing offensive arsenal and the potential to be dominant defensively.

2) More playing time for Thomas Robinson: Thomas Robinson has been a pleasant surprise since signing with the Sixers. In his 15 games with the team, he has put up averages of 8.9 points and 7.9 rebounds per game, while shooting 50% from the field. Despite his promising play and production however, Robinson has only been playing a little over 17 minutes a game – I would like to see that number increase over the season’s final stretch.

Robinson has shown that he might be worth brining back, at least in a reserve role, as his energy and aptitude on the offensive glass make him potentially very valuable. He has also demonstrated an ability to finish around the rim. Robinson is only a couple years removed from being a top-5 pick in the NBA Draft, and some of that potential could still be capitalized on. Over the rest of the season it will be up to team to decide if he is worth trying to bring back, and there is no better way to make an educated decision on the matter than by giving Robinson ample opportunity to show his stuff.

3) Some playing time for Glenn Robinson III: I really wanted the Sixers to select GR3 in the second round of the 2014 NBA Draft. After seeing some of his offensive ability at Michigan, I was intrigued and thought he might make a nice fit on the restructuring Sixers. The Sixers used the 32nd pick on K.J. McDaniels, who many felt could have been a first round selection. When Robinson III was still around for the 76ers’ second second-round pick at 39, I found myself getting excited in the media seating section of the Barclay’s Center. But again, the Sixers passed up on Robinson III, this time in favor of Jerami Grant, who has improved greatly over the course of the season.

Thanks to a log-jam at the wing spots in Minnesota, the Sixers were able to acquire GR3, less than nine months after I wanted them to draft him. One problem however: He hasn’t been playing!

Since his acquisition by the Sixers, Robinson III has only appeared in two games for a grand total of nine minutes. Sure, the Sixers have a lot of options to try out at the perimeter positions themselves, but this guy could be good. He is long, athletic, and has knock-down shooting abilities. He is the type of guy that could potentially develop into a legitimate (two-way) NBA wing player, and the Sixers lucked into him. He will be a free agent this summer, and the Sixers need to evaluate if they want to try to bring him back, so it only makes some sense for Brett Brown and co. to give him some burn down the stretch.

4) More solid play from Hollis Thompson: I had some sizable expectations for Hollis Thompson heading into the 2014-15 season. On the heels of his solid Summer League play, and with a year of experience under his belt, I thought that he may be ready to break-out as a shooting/scoring option for the Sixers. I wrote this back in October, prior to the season’s start:

Hollis however hasn’t taken quite as big a step forward as I expected this season. Injury issues and a deeper roster of wing players has limited Thompson’s on-court impact. After starting 41 games last season, Thompson has started only 22 this year, while his minutes per game have increased only incrementally. There was a period during the middle of the season (January-ish) where it seemed that Thompson had become sort of an afterthought, which JaKarr Sampson, Robert Covington, and Luc Mbah a Moute eating up a majority of the perimeter minutes. After dipping to under 20 minutes of action per game in January, Thompson’s playing time has again increased over the past couple months, and he has again established himself as a consistent contributor. I would like to see Thompson continue to contribute and step-up throughout the rest of the season; give the organization something to think about when pondering his future with the franchise.

5) More W’s aren’t necessary: For the second straight season, it looks like the Sixers will not finish with the league’s worst record, despite all the national flak they have taken for their selected route of rebuilding. They avoided finishing with the league’s all-time futility mark – a legitimate concern for some before the season’s start, and something that nobody wanted – and they demonstrated that they could compete, and even beat some of the league’s best teams. The team has outperformed expectations, and considering the goals, the season could be considered a success.

With that said, at this point, the 7-6 don’t need to rack up many more wins. The goal is still to land as high as possible a pick in the upcoming Draft, and each win makes that percentage points harder. As it stands currently, the Sixers will have the third best odds at landing the top pick in the draft, and they want those odds to increase, not shrink.

2014-15 Sixers, your effort is applauded, and now comes the time to look to the lottery.

6) More W’s for the Lakers & Thunder: While we don’t need the Sixers to win many more games for lottery-placing purposes, it would be nice to see a couple Western Conference teams in the Lakers and the Thunder pull out some late season wins. The Sixers receive the Lakers top pick in the 2015 Draft if it falls out of the top 5, and they also get the Thunder’s pick if it falls out of the top 18. Thus, the more wins these teams pile up, the better the chance the Sixers have at snagging their picks in the upcoming draft. The Sixers can have as many as four first-round picks in the upcoming draft – that would certainly give the rebuild a boost.

Michael Kaskey-Blomain is a scribe for Philadunkia. You can follow him on Twitter @therealmikeKB.

Jerami Grant, SF32 MIN | 2-5 FG | 1-2 FT | 4 REB | 3 AST | 0 STL | 5 BLK | 1 TO | 6 PTS | +24 +/-Grant got the start last night and delivered a so-so offensive performance. That end result was especially odd to me given that he came out of the gates red hot and scored all 6 of his points in the opening minutes of the 1st Q. Howver his effort at the other end of the court was outstanding.

Nerlens Noel, C33 MIN | 5-8 FG | 4-7 FT | 15 REB | 2 AST | 4 STL | 4 BLK | 2 TO | 14 PTS | +22 +/-A jaw dropping double-double performance last night by Noel in which he was extremely aggressive on offense and displayed a nice ability to score with his left hand. “I’m just playing basketball,” he said. “My goal is to affect the game any way possible. I just keep it going and come in with that mindset.”

Ish Smith, PG27 MIN | 4-9 FG | 0-0 FT | 2 REB | 2 AST | 3 STL | 0 BLK | 2 TO | 9 PTS | +21 +/-Obvioulsy only 2 assists is not a great stat from your starting PG. However, only 2 TOs is something to brag about. But this is really all the Sixers need from Smith down the stretch of Tank 2.0. Push the pace and play solid basketball. His defense needs serious work.

Robert Covington, SF29 MIN | 8-17 FG | 3-3 FT | 6 REB | 0 AST | 2 STL | 1 BLK | 0 TO | 25 PTS | +17 +/-I don’t know why Brown didn’t start him, but Cov came out and showed folks he is the best shooter on thsi team as he tied a career high with 25 points and a career high with six 3-pointers. For the second night in a row Cov put on a tremendous scoring burst where he simply took over the game. Last night it was 15 points in a 6:16 stretch of the 3rd Q. My only knock is that he did hoist up some ill advised 3PAs.

Isaiah Canaan, PG22 MIN | 4-11 FG | 5-6 FT | 3 REB | 1 AST | 1 STL | 0 BLK | 1 TO | 15 PTS | +1 +/-11 FGAs and 1 dime is not the ratio I am looking for out of my backup PG. Still I have to admit that Canaan played decently last night and his 8 points in the late 4th Q helped close this game out for the Sixers.

Brett Brown
For Brown to guide this team to a win on the second night of a West Coast back-toback set is a fetaher in his cap. I still don’t like that Cov is not starting and a few other roational decisions he made last night, but that’s been a issue for me all year.

Six Things We Saw Last Night…

1) This game’s turning point came in the late 4th Q. With the teams on the “see-saw” as Zumoff would say and tied at 81-81; Cov, Canaan and Thompson drained back-to-back-to-back 3-balls that helped produce a 14-2 run for the 76ers over the last 5+ minutes of the quarter and gave the team a 95-83 lead and eventually the win.

2) While he’s still far from a finished product, I have no words left to type about how impressed I am with Noel’s development / play since the MCW trade. In his last four games the center is averaging 15 points, 11.5 rebounds and 3.8 blocks.

3) “People have to start talking about him for Rookie of the Year,” Brown said. “You don’t repetitively bang out these types of performances and produce the numbers he’s producing. He’s a complete game changer. He’s a complete defensive presence when he’s lurking to block shots. He continues to improve.”

4) However, Noel was quick to compliment his teammates…”I think Jerami Grant did a great job with the weak-side help,” Noel said. “He had five blocks. He is active and it helps the team so much. It gets us out on the break because guys are just coming in and rebounding. It helps us go.”

5) “You have to take care of the ball. You can’t go whacking people and sending them to the free throw line as many times at that stage that we were moving towards doing,” Brown said. “To their credit, to hold them to nine points to close out a road game, for that young team that is a good effort.”

6)Via ESPN Stats & Info: Noel finished with 14 points, 15 rebounds, 4 steals and 4 blocks against the Nuggets. Charles Barkley is the only other 76ers player over the last 30 seasons with those numbers in a game (he had two such games during the 1985-86 season).

Ish Smith, PG30 MIN | 5-14 FG | 2-2 FT | 8 REB | 7 AST | 1 STL | 0 BLK | 7 TO | 13 PTS | +3 +/-Other than the 7 TOs and a 1:1 assist/TO ratio, I thought Smith played the solid game I asked for in my Fo’ with the Foes preview. If he can play like this every night, the Sixers will at least be tolerable to watch down the home stretch of this season.

Thomas Robinson, PF21 MIN | 7-12 FG | 2-4 FT | 8 REB | 2 AST | 0 STL | 1 BLK | 1 TO | 16 PTS | -9 +/-I mentioned in my Fo’ with the Foes preview of this game that I was interested to see if Robinson took it to the next level against his former team and to me it seemed like he was extra motivated last night. A 7-point 2nd quarter spurt by TNasty got his night off to a nice start and things continued to go well for him all game as he scored a career-high 16 points.

Hollis Thompson, SG27 MIN | 5-11 FG | 0-1 FT | 2 REB | 1 AST | 0 STL | 1 BLK | 2 TO | 11 PTS | -3 +/-Obviously 1-5 from deep is not the stat line I am looking from an alleged 3-ball threat. Getting stripped of the rock on the final possession of the game with your team down 107-106 isn’t ideal either. Still, HT played decently again last night and I think Brown’s favorite pupil is slowly earning a spot on this roster for next year.

Brett Brown
Last week, Sims was the only 76er big who had the slightest bit of success in slowing down Cousins and Brown reacts to that fact by playing Henry only 8 minutes last night. He also did little to help this team get an easy bucket or a trip to FT line during the two LONG scoreless stretches in the 2nd half.

Six Things We Saw Last Night…

1) After giving up 71 points before the halftime break, the Kings put the clamps on the Sixers in the 2nd half and the improved defense helped force to big scoreless stretches for the 7-6. Leading 78-68 in the 3rd Q, a 5:41 long scoring drought by the Sixers simply killed this team last night. The Kings posted a 14-0 run during that stretch and grabbed the lead at 82-78.

2) The 2nd scoring drought came in clutch time: After a 3-ball by Cov gave the 76ers a 103-100 4th Q lead, the Kings limited Brown’s squad to no field goals and 3 total points over the final 6:12 of the contest. of course it did not help the during the stretch the Sixers shot 0-5 from the field and committed 5 TOs.

3) On that note…Sacto forced 16 of the Sixers 20 turnovers in the 2nd half!

4) “To have 20 turnovers on the road and to think you are going to win many games would not be correct,” Sixers head coach Brett Brown said.

5) “They heated up defensively in the second half. We had 70 points at halftime and I’m sure that inspired them,” 76ers coach Brett Brown said. “They did a good job of pushing us out of stuff.”

6) From ESPN.com stats: Cousins has recorded at least 30 points and 15 boards for an NBA-best 6th time this season (nobody else has more than three)…Ohh yeah and two of those games have come against the 76ers.

]]>http://philadunkia.com/?feed=rss2&p=135541Fo’ with the Foes: Sacramento Kingshttp://philadunkia.com/?p=13544&utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=fo-with-the-foes-sacramento-kings
http://philadunkia.com/?p=13544#commentsTue, 24 Mar 2015 18:47:24 +0000http://philadunkia.com/?p=13544This edition of “Fo’ with the Foes” – Philadunkia’s advanced scouting series which with the help of an accomplished journalist from around the NBA beat or blog world, previews key upcoming 76ers games – features tonight’s opponent, the Sacramento Kings who smoked the Washington Wizards on Sunday night; have won two straight games and feature DeMarcus Cousins, who simply killed the 76ers (39 points and 24 rebounds) on Monday of last week.

After the jump, I’ll look a Fo’ key items for tonight’s game. Additionally, we’ll get a little more insight into this Sacto team the Sixers face tonight from our colleague Akis Yerocostas at sactownroyalty.com, as Akis will answer Fo’ questions on his Kings squad from us here at Philadunkia.

Here are Fo’ key items I will be watching for tonight…

1) Sixers Bigs vs. Counsins — Outside of few minutes where Henry Sims slowed him down, DeMarcus Cousins absolutely crushed the 76ers big menlast week (Again: 39 & 24!!!) .I realize that “Boogie” is an elite level post player who can take over a game. I also realize that his size and bulk provide huge match-up issues for Brett Brown’s thin and lanky interior players. Still, tonight I hope to watch the Sixers bigs man up and provide better resistance on Cousins.

2) 76ers Defensive Strategy — In addition to the wrecking ball that is Cousins, the Sixers defense will also have to account for a red-hot Rudy Gay — 27.6 points and 51.6% shooting from the field and 37% from deep over his last 8 games. Over his last 2 games, Gay has been good for 29.5 ppg. while hitting at a 53.8% clip from the floor. There is no way that Brown can expect his players to play straight up man defense on these scoring machines. Thus I am very interested to see what scheme Brown puts into the defensive game plan in hopes of containing the Kings primary offensive weapons.

3) Sixers Point Guard Play – So far, Isaiah Canaan has been a disappointment. Consequently Ish Smith took his starting spot. Smith has shown flashes of solid play, but nothing that makes me think he will be on this roster next year. However, I never expected Canaan and Smith to bottom out like they did on Sunday night vs. the Lakers. This point guard duo was simply awful against the Lakers on Sunday — a combined 4-26 from the field; 1-7 from deep and 5 TOs. Tonight, I need one of these two borderline NBA players to step up and play decent basketball. That’s right, just decent ball. If one of them can contribute in a positive manner vs. the Kings, the Sixers will remain competitive all night and this game will be watchable. Something I can’t say about the loss to the Lakers.

4) Homecoming for “T-Nasty” – As you may recall, Thomas Robinson was selected 5th overall by the Kings in 2010. The former King and Denver Nugget posted 14 points (on 7 for 8 shooting) and 8 boards against the Lakers on Sunday. Robinson is shooting 83% from the field in his last two games and 77% over his last 4 contests. He’s averaged 8.8 points and 8.4 rebounds on less than 18 minutes per nigh for the 7-6. In short, he’s been a solid acquisition for Sam Hinkie. Robinson typically plays with a great deal of energy and a touch of a nasty ‘tude, so tonight I am eager to witness how hard Robinson attacks this games vs. the inept franchise that originally drafted him and then gave up on him.

Philadunkia:What are your early impressions of the George Karl era in Sacto?

Akis Yerocostas at sactownroyalty.com:Early impressions have been good, although it’s clear that Karl’s not a cure-all. Defensively the Kings are worse than ever and turnovers continue to be a problem. There also continues to not be enough shooting on the roster. However, the team is moving the ball better and executing better offensively. Karl has also been able to get the bench to be a better help, although Andre Miller deserves credit as well.

Philadunkia:The Kings have won 2 in a row, including a thumping of the Wizards. What have been a couple of the keys to the recent victories?

Akis Yerocostas at sactownroyalty.com: Sacramento’s defense has been a lot better these last couple games and they’ve also gotten good contributions from the bench.

Philadunkia: Obviously Cousins is having a tremendous season, what has impressed you the most about his play this season?

Akis Yerocostas at sactownroyalty.com: Cousins’ growth defensively. His first few years in the league he was a conscientious objector on that end of the floor. Last year we saw promising signs of growth but this year he has actually been a very good defender, with rim protection numbers that are better than those of a guy like DeAndre Jordan. He’s always had the talent and tools to be a good defender and he’s finally put them to use.

Philadunkia: What’s one area of his game you’d like to see DeMarcus Cousins improve on?

Akis Yerocostas at sactownroyalty.com: I still think his on-court demeanor could use some work. He was behaving far better under Coach Malone than he did under Coach Corbin or Karl. He complains far too much and sulks too often. Still, you live with it because he puts the Kings on another level when he’s on the court.

Nerlens Noel, C22 MIN | 5-10 FG | 1-2 FT | 4 REB | 0 AST | 1 STL | 3 BLK | 1 TO | 11 PTS | +2 +/-With the hops and energy Noel diplayed early on, it’s a good thing for the Pistons that he got hurt and missed most of the 2nd half. Otherwise the Sixers may have won this game by 20. I felt like very time he came on the TV Noel was flushing a dunk or swatting a Detroit shot.

Ish Smith, PG26 MIN | 6-12 FG | 3-4 FT | 1 REB | 8 AST | 3 STL | 1 BLK | 3 TO | 15 PTS | +10 +/-A near double-double from the journeyman was has supplanted Canaan (who the Sixers traded for by the way) as the starting PG. He pushed the pace last night on the tired Pistons and unleashed a couple of floaters that were amazing. 50% shooting from the field; 8 dimes; only 3 TOs and +10 rating! Too bad he isn’t 6’3 or taller.

Jason Richardson, SG25 MIN | 4-7 FG | 3-4 FT | 5 REB | 2 AST | 1 STL | 0 BLK | 1 TO | 14 PTS | +1 +/-JRich struck back at Father Time last night with a much needed solid shooting effort. Previous to last night’s game, #23 was 6 for 37 from the field in his last 4 games and I had pretty much written him off for the season.

JaKarr Sampson, SG22 MIN | 3-8 FG | 0-0 FT | 6 REB | 0 AST | 2 STL | 0 BLK | 3 TO | 6 PTS | -6 +/-After 4 points in the the 1st half, I don’t have a single note on JaKarr for the rest of the game. I like Sampson’s long range potential, but his is not a starting NBA guard and why Brown insists on trotting him out with the first-five is beyond me.

Furkan Aldemir, PF9 MIN | 1-2 FG | 0-0 FT | 4 REB | 0 AST | 0 STL | 1 BLK | 0 TO | 2 PTS | +1 +/-Furkan showed again last night that he owns limited skills on offense, but he was suddenly called into action when Noel went down and did a great job holding the fort on the boards for the Sixers.

Thomas Robinson, PF16 MIN | 6-9 FG | 0-0 FT | 6 REB | 0 AST | 1 STL | 3 BLK | 1 TO | 12 PTS | +6 +/-A missed layup in the 1st Q and a wild 16-footer later in the game are all that stood between TNasty and the A+ grade. I just don’t understand how Brown can justify gving him only 16 minutes of burn. Of note is that 10 of Robinson’s points came in the 1st half.

Robert Covington, SF22 MIN | 1-6 FG | 0-0 FT | 2 REB | 3 AST | 1 STL | 0 BLK | 0 TO | 3 PTS | +9 +/-Cov’s elbow injury must be something serious because his jumper has gone MIA. However, IMO Brown is not giving him much of a chance to shoot his way out of this recent slump.

Isaiah Canaan, PG22 MIN | 2-10 FG | 3-4 FT | 3 REB | 4 AST | 1 STL | 0 BLK | 3 TO | 9 PTS | +5 +/-Some of the ill-advised shots he hoisted up in the 2nd half had me throwing the remote control. After another of his crazy FGAs in the 4th Q clanked off the rim, you could actually see Brown in the background grab Smith and send him to the scorer’s table to sub Canaan out.

Hollis Thompson, SG24 MIN | 3-5 FG | 0-0 FT | 1 REB | 1 AST | 2 STL | 2 BLK | 1 TO | 8 PTS | +13 +/-HT had 5 huge points in the opening minutes of the 4th Q last night that sealed this W for the Sixers. I get that Brown loves the 3-ball and that HT typically can bury two or three a game (as he did last night), but the rest of his game is filled with holes and I just don’t see how he deserves 24 minutes a night while guys like Sims (DNP-CD) and Robinson (16 mins) ride the bench.

Brett Brown
I’ll give Brown credit for helping his team recover from that putrid effort in Boston to beat a simply awful and weary Detroit squad. However I don’t understand the lack of minutes for Robinson and Sims. I also don’t understand why his hook with Canaan last night took so long.

Six Things We Saw Last Night…

1) In my Fo’ with the Foes preview I noted that I wanted to see the Sixers recover from their season-worst overall effort up in Boston the other night by playing with energy and going right at the Pistons from the opening tip. The Sixers responded with spirited play in the 1st Q, looked good early on in this contest and held a 10-point lead at halftime. Thanks for listening fellas!

2) However the 76ers nearly gave this one away at the end of the 3rd Q. Trailing 67-54, the Pistons posted an 11-1 run and cut the Sixers lead to 68-65 entering the 4th Q. Former 76er Jodie Meeks drained a big 3-ball for DET during that stretch.

3) During this run by Detroit, the Sixers were 0-4 from the field; turned the ball over a number of times; missed a couple FTs and thanks to the horrid play of Canaan at the point, looked completely lost in general.

4) The 76ers responded by opening the 4th Q with and 8-2 run that featured 5 points by Thompson and three by Canaan. That run pretty much ended all hope that the Pistons had for a comeback as SVG’s crew never got closer than 6 points the rest of the way and in fact they trailed by double-digits for most of the 4th Q.

5) Great quote from JRich on breaking out of his recent shooting slump…”I hear it all day from my two sons — I’m my worst critic — they’d be second in line, telling me, `Dad, relax. You’re bricking a lot. Just shoot the ball,” he said. “To finally see the ball go in, it’s great (to) get back into that form.”

6) ICYMI: Allen Iverson was in the house last night…The 76ers now won for the third time in six games. They now trail the NYK and Minny in the race for the most ping pong balls…Fomer Sixers Elfrid Payton (drafted by Sixers); Mo Harkless and Nik Vucevic all had big games for Orlando last night. Payton posted a triple double — 15/12/10. Harkless put up 18 points, 6 boards and 4 steals. “Big Nik” was a little off his game last night only going for 12 points & 9 boards.

]]>http://philadunkia.com/?feed=rss2&p=135362Fo’ with the Foes: Detroit Pistonshttp://philadunkia.com/?p=13523&utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=fo-with-the-foes-detroit-pistons-6
http://philadunkia.com/?p=13523#commentsWed, 18 Mar 2015 20:55:04 +0000http://philadunkia.com/?p=13523This edition of “Fo’ with the Foes” – Philadunkia’s advanced scouting series which with the help of an accomplished journalist from around the NBA beat or blog world, previews key upcoming 76ers games – features tonight’s opponent, the Detroit Pistons who defeated the Memphis Grizzlies last night, but have lost 10 of their last 11 and will be without Greg Monroe tonight.

After the jump, I’ll look a Fo’ key items for tonight’s game. Additionally, we’ll get a little more insight into this Detroit team the Sixers face tonight from our colleague Dan Feldman at pistonpowered.com, as Dan will answer Fo’ questions on his Pistons squad from us here at Philadunkia.

Here are Fo’ key items I will be watching for tonight…

1) Proof of Life — The 76ers absolutely crapped the bed in Boston the other night in what I believe was one of their weakest efforts of Tank 2.0. Tonight I am looking for Brett Brown’s youngsters to show some pride and play a highly competitive game (at both ends of the floor) against the Pistons. If this roster gives another weak performance tonight against the struggling Pistons, it could be a sign that this group has mailed it in for 2015.

2) Nerlens Noel — We have noted many times on this site that Nerlens Noel has been playing excellent basketball since the trade deadline and his last 3 games have continued that amazing trend. Over his last 3 contests, Noel is boasting averages of 17 points and 9.5 rebounds per night. I want to see thsi trend continue tonight against the Pistons who will be without Monroet. However Andre Drummond will be in the lineup. Drummond is no scrub and should provide a solid challenge for Noel.

3) Get Covington Going – In his last 2 games Robert Covington has scored a total of 14 points and he shot 1-8 from the field up in Boston. Additionally, Cov is 3-10 from behind the arc in those two contests. I don’t care how bad his elbow is hurting him, tonight I want Robert to start and I want to witness Brown design a few new wrinkles to get Cov going early and get #33 some confidence. Cov splashing home numerous threes is the only chance the Sixers have of making this a closely contested game.

4) The Scoreboard – The 76ers and Pistons are two of the worst shooting teams in the Association — Sixers rank last in the League in shooting at 40.8% and Detroit ranks 28th in FG%t at 42.6 — so whichever team gets to 80 points first, will likely win this game. Over their last 7 contests, the Sixers shot 38.3% from the floor. Over the last 5 games, the underwhelming point guard combo of Canaan (22 for 61=36%) and Smith (26 for 68=38%) are shooting a combined 37% from the field.

Philadunkia:What’s the inside scoop on how long Greg Monroe’s knee injury will be an issue?

Dan Feldman at pistonpowered.com: He traveled to Philadelphia, and it seems he could return any game, including this one. But with the Pistons out of the playoff race and Monroe soon to be entering free agency, both he and the team would be wise to be patient with his health.

Philadunkia:Reggie Jackson posted a 23 point and a career-high 20 assist night against the Grizzlies. Obviously that kind of production is not realistically sustainable, but what interests me so much about Jackson is that the “experts” seem divided on his potential. What are you thoughts on the level of play he could achieve in the NBA?

Dan Feldman at pistonpowered.com: I really like his potential. He’s a good athlete, has shown enough of an outside shooting touch in spurts that I believe his 3-point shooting is correctable and has displayed solid court vision. He has the tools to become a very good defender, too. It’s far from a lock he becomes a good starter, but considering the price the Pistons paid to get him, I’m happy they have a chance to help him reach that level.

Philadunkia: The Pistons are 1-10 in their last 11 games. What major issues have plagued the Pistons over this stretch?

Dan Feldman at pistonpowered.com: The biggest issue has been a major downgrade on the wing in both ability and fit when the Pistons swapped Kyle Singler for Tayshaun Prince. Singler was both better than an over-the-hill Prince, and Singler’s 3-point shooting helped space the floor.

Another issue, the one that has gotten the most attention, is Reggie Jackson adjusting to his new teammates.

Philadunkia: How would you rate the coaching job SVG has done this season?

Dan Feldman at pistonpowerd: He’s is the Pistons’ best coach since Larry Brown, but Stan Van Gundy has still been learning on the job in his first season with the team. Van Gundy started Josh Smith right up until deciding Smith was such a poor fit, it was worth eating Smith’s remaining salary and waiving him. Van Gundy spent too long playing Smith in untenable jumbo frontline with Greg Monroe and Andre Drummond (sinking Detroit’s season before it started) and not long enough trying to make Smith tradeable. That issue illustrates the problem with separating Van Gundy’s impact as coach rather than including his work as team president.

All in all, though, the results have been positive.

The offense is both more coherent and free-flowing, which really benefited Brandon Jennings before his injury and D.J. Augustin before his trade.

The defense is more organized — and, consequently, effective — than it has been in years.

At various times during this up-and-down season, coaching for the present or future has made more sense than the other. Van Gundy has done a nice job adjusting to the ever-chancing circumstances and keeping the team together. He won’t get the Coach of the Year votes that seemed possible in January, but Van Gundy has been a huge coaching upgrade for the Pistons.

Nerlens Noel, C34 MIN | 7-15 FG | 4-6 FT | 7 REB | 1 AST | 2 STL | 1 BLK | 1 TO | 18 PTS | -15 +/-A much better effort this time from Noel in hometown of Boston. I like that he was extremely aggressive last night and took the ball to the tin, but his left hand finish still needs some work. His 6 points in the 1st Q was one of the few highlights for the Sixers. However he did NOT score another point in the 1st half.

Isaiah Canaan, PG28 MIN | 4-11 FG | 1-2 FT | 6 REB | 2 AST | 0 STL | 1 BLK | 3 TO | 11 PTS | -8 +/-This PG experiment should officially come to a close when this season is over. While his stat line was respectable last night, Canaan owns a shoot first mentality, does not see the floor well and plays ole’ defense.

Hollis Thompson, SG31 MIN | 5-9 FG | 1-2 FT | 2 REB | 2 AST | 2 STL | 0 BLK | 2 TO | 13 PTS | -7 +/-Thompson took advantage of his first start since December and posted a solid overall stat line. Along with Noel, HT was one of the few Sixers who could find the basket in the 1st Q (4 points).

Thomas Robinson, PF15 MIN | 2-5 FG | 3-4 FT | 5 REB | 0 AST | 0 STL | 1 BLK | 1 TO | 7 PTS | -5 +/-The slow start even had an effect on the usually high energy TNasty. There was a stretch in the 1st Q where Robinson missed an 18-footer, but the Sixers grabbed the O-board, only to have Robinson immediately turn the ball over on an offensive foul.

Robert Covington, SF23 MIN | 1-8 FG | 1-2 FT | 6 REB | 3 AST | 2 STL | 0 BLK | 0 TO | 4 PTS | -7 +/-Either Cov is still hurt or there was a lid on the rim last night. Also has he done something to end up in Brown’s doghouse that he isn’t starting?

Ish Smith, PG27 MIN | 7-13 FG | 1-2 FT | 2 REB | 4 AST | 1 STL | 1 BLK | 4 TO | 16 PTS | -8 +/-Smith’s game is starting to grow on me. I still think on a legit NBA roster, he’s nothing more than a thrid PG, but I tip my cap to hime for competing hard last night even when the 76ers where down by 25.

Brett Brown
I put most of the blame for last night’s horrific start of teh players, but ome of the blame has to go on the coach.

Six Things We Saw Last Night…

1) The Celtics threw the KO punch early in this one…The Sixers went down 7-0 in the opening minutes of the first quarter and that turned into 21-9 margin. The C’s were 4 of 5 on 3-pointers and shot 66.7% in the1st Q to build a 38-18 lead. The Sixers trailed by 20 after one quarter and never made a serious run in this game.

2) “The 20-point difference in the first period put us in a hole that was hard to dig out of,” Noel said. “The last three quarters we had a more balanced effort — it was about even. We have to do a better job defensively starting out games like that.”

3) Coach Brown after the loss said, “The game was determined after the first period and it almost stops and starts there. I didn’t feel like we competed in the first period. I feel like they got whatever they wanted offensively and we give them a lot of credit defensively; I think they’ve improved a lot defensively since the last time we played them. They’ve always had that firepower, the ability to score, but you can see a team that’s right there to slide into the playoffs. We give them credit.”

4) It’s no secret that this Sixers’ roster struggles to open games in a positive manner — The Sixers came into Monday’s contest ranked last in the NBA in 1st Q scoring (22.3) and last in opponent 1st Q scoring (26.8) — and that Brown has yet to push the right buttons to address the issue, but last night’s game was, IMO, the worst opening stanza of the season. The fact that ball did not go in the hoop is one thing, but the lack of energy and effort from a very young roster (some of whom are fighting for their NBA careers) was disturbing.

5) The 76ers’ point guard posted a combined 6 dimes and 7 turnovers last night…The Sixers shot 6-23 in the 1st Q and scored just 34 points in the first half.

Robert Covington, SF29 MIN | 8-17 FG | 2-3 FT | 2 REB | 2 AST | 3 STL | 1 BLK | 1 TO | 24 PTS | +3 +/-Welcome back Cov!! His hot shooting and 11 points in the 1st Q kept the Sixers from falling out of this game very early on. Then Cov posted another 9 points in the 2nd Q (3-3 from deep). Still, it seems Cov was one of the few players who did not benefit from Brown’s halftime speech as he went 1-5 from the field in the 2nd half.

Isaiah Canaan, PG23 MIN | 3-9 FG | 0-0 FT | 1 REB | 5 AST | 0 STL | 0 BLK | 2 TO | 7 PTS | -4 +/-Priority #1 for Sam Hinkie is to find a PG and a backup PG for 2015-16 because the undersized Canaan who has totaled 5 dimes and 4 TOs in the last 2 games while shooting 32% from the field is not the answer. Still, his 5 points in the 3rd Q were huge last night, so he gets the C+ from me.

JaKarr Sampson, SG17 MIN | 4-6 FG | 2-3 FT | 2 REB | 3 AST | 0 STL | 0 BLK | 1 TO | 10 PTS | -7 +/-Sampson was very active early on in this game and thrilled the crowd with a drive to the rim that ended with a thunderous flush. After 6 points in the 1st half, I thought he had finally found his stride again, but he went MIA in the 2nd half and I don’t have a single note on him from the 3rd/4th Qs.

Thomas Robinson, PF20 MIN | 2-7 FG | 2-2 FT | 11 REB | 0 AST | 0 STL | 1 BLK | 1 TO | 6 PTS | -2 +/-You can simply feel the Sixers enery level rise when TNAsty is on the floor. He scored a quick 4 points when he entered teh game in the 2nd Q and was all over the boards throughout this game. I’d like to see him lay off the ill-advised 16 footers, but that will come with game experience.

Jerami Grant, SF29 MIN | 5-7 FG | 3-6 FT | 2 REB | 1 AST | 2 STL | 4 BLK | 1 TO | 13 PTS | +17 +/-This rookie is a freak of an athlete and when he polishes the rough edges off of his jumper he could be a very good 6th man for the 76ers. 8 of his 13 points came during the 76ers 3rd/4th Qs surge.

Henry Sims, C12 MIN | 4-5 FG | 0-0 FT | 4 REB | 0 AST | 1 STL | 0 BLK | 0 TO | 8 PTS | +12 +/-After 4 straight DNP-CDs, Sims showed what a professional he is last night by leading the 76ers comeback during the 3rd/4th Qs at both ends of the floor. On offense he provided instant scoring and on defense he slowed Cousins down just long enough to allow the 76ers to recover from a horrible 1st half.

Ish Smith, PG25 MIN | 3-11 FG | 4-6 FT | 5 REB | 9 AST | 1 STL | 0 BLK | 3 TO | 10 PTS | +13 +/-For most of the game it was brick city for Ish last night, but he did contribute several key buckets during the Sixers 3rd Q run. He also did a nice job of finding his teammates during this surge by Brown’s squad. However, he’s a deep reserve level player and should not be getting 25 ticks a night in the NBA.

Hollis Thompson, SG22 MIN | 4-9 FG | 0-1 FT | 2 REB | 2 AST | 2 STL | 1 BLK | 3 TO | 10 PTS | -1 +/-It kills ne to write good things about Thompson, but last night he hit some clutch shots for the Sixers and I fear he may be playing his way on to next year’s roster.

Brett Brown
Brown has to take some of the heat for a putrid 1st half, but wahtever he said at halftime worked very well and he pushed all the right substitution buttons in the 2nd half.

Six Things We Saw Last Night…

1) After a horrible 1st half by the 76ers, this game turned early in the 3rd Q thanks to a 33-9 burst by the 76ers. Sacto led 73-55 with roughly 8:30 remaining in the 3rd when the Sixers reserves took over. Sampson scored 5 points; Ish posted 5 points and Sims had 4 in the third quarter. The Kings scored only two field goals during this run and the 76ers led 88-82 heading into the 4th Q.

2) The Sixers then scored eight of the first 10 points in the 4th Q (Thompson had 5 of those points) supplying the 7-6 with a 96-84 lead. The Kings closed to within 3 points — 106-103 with :54 remaining — but a 6-2 finishing burst by the Sixers closed this game out.

3) The 76ers bench posted a 47-24 scoring advantage over the Sacto reserves.

4) “Coach got on us pretty bad,” said backup point guard Ish Smith, who was instrumental in the comeback. “He got on us really bad at halftime. … He just wasn’t happy. Anything you can think of, we weren’t doing anything well. … Coach was like, `That’s not the culture we’re trying to build here.”

5) When focused on the game and not the refs, DeMarcus Cousins is simply a beast. “Boogie” matched his season high of 39 points and grabbed a career-high 24 boards for Sacto last night. While I realize that Cousins is one the elite interior forces in the League, for me his prolific night did reinforce the idea that the Sixers need to add to this roster a player who can bang down low. That type of player will be a necessary reserve to have on the bench for the long haul rebuild.

6) Noel was giving away 50 lbs last night and simply could not handle Cousins. Noel commented after the game, “He’s a big, big boy. I’ll just go eat a couple Big Macs and think about that. … It was definitely a challenge tonight, and I’ll definitely learn from it.”

You can follow us on Twitter @philadunkia.

]]>http://philadunkia.com/?feed=rss2&p=135121Noel on the Risehttp://philadunkia.com/?p=13502&utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=noel-on-the-rise
http://philadunkia.com/?p=13502#commentsFri, 13 Mar 2015 15:43:09 +0000http://philadunkia.com/?p=13502If you’ve been paying attention to the Sixers lately, you’ve undoubtedly noticed the all-around improved play of Nerlens Noel. Since the NBA trade deadline (and the departure of Michael Carter-Williams) Noel has taken giant steps in his development, on both ends of the floor. In his last 10 games, #4 is averaging 11.4 ppg.; 10.6 rpg.; 2.2 bpg. and 2.7 spg., all while shooting 43% from the field. With each passing game he looks less and less like the raw, out-of-place player he often resembled early on in the season.

Many expected Noel to be good, even dominant, defensively, but it’s safe to say that few expected him to be this good this quickly.

Aftre the jump, I’ll take a look at just how good Noel has been since the 2015 NBA All-Star Weekend festivities in New York concluded.

Noel is currently the only player in the entire NBA to have over 100 blocks and 100 steals so far this season, and on Wednesday night he became the first center since Hakeem in 1988 to record four straight games with 4+ steals. He is sixth League-wide in total blocks, as he has become extremely adept at sliding over from the weak side to challenge a driving ball-handler. His ability to seamlessly switch onto a perimeter player is arguably even more impressive, as very rarely do you see a player of Noel’s stature possess such quick hands on the perimeter and the ability to spark a break.

He is well on his way to becoming an elite rim protector, currently holding opponents to 45% shooting at the rim; right on par with some of the game’s other great post players. In the Sixers win over the Hawks last Saturday, Nole became the first rookie since Shaq to record 11+ points, 17+ rebounds, and 5+ steals in a single game. In short, Noel is already among the game’s best defensive players, and he is only a 20-year old rookie. Is there any doubt that this cat is going to contend for multiple Defensive Player of the Year awards?

It’s not just on the defensive side of the ball where Noel’s game is growing however. The former Kentucky Wildcat has worked hard to develop his offense into something serviceable, and the results of his work have been evident on-court. Noel’s scoring has increased from 7.7 points per game in December to 8.7 points per in January to 10.7 in February/March. Noel looks increasingly confident with the ball on the offensive end, using a dribble to take the ball to the basket, pulling up for jumpers, and even dunking on defenders. He is athletic enough to average double-digits by default, and the continued development of a post-game, combined with some added size could turn him into a legitimate offensive option.

Some of his improvement can be credited to continuous play. At the start of the season Noel was acclimating to NBA play, as well as working to get back to basketball shape after having sat on the sideline for over a year. Some rust was expected. Throughout the season, as he has gotten the opportunity to play more and more, you’ve seen that rust disappear, and a truly unique skill-set emerge.

Through his on-court effort, Noel has become a sort-of de-facto leader for the young Sixers, a role he was virtually thrust into after the reigning Rookie of the Year, Michael Carter-Williams was traded in February. Although he is technically only a rookie, Noel has been in the system since June 2013, and is one of the team’s longest tenured players.

“I just want to continue to progress. I want to establish myself and continue to play hard for the city of Philadelphia, and just continue to get better,” Noel told reporters after the team’s win over the Hawks.

When asked if the absence of Michael Carter-Williams was a contributing factor in his improving play and his expanding leadership role, Noel acknowledged that indeed it was.

“I want to assert myself as a leader on this team, both on and off the court. I want to lead by example.”

With his improving play and endless energy lately, Noel has certainly been setting a solid example, and the League is starting to take note.

Michael Kaskey-Blomain is a scribe for Philadunkia. You can follow him on Twitter @therealmikeKB.

]]>http://philadunkia.com/?feed=rss2&p=135020Fo’ with the Foes: Chicago Bullshttp://philadunkia.com/?p=13485&utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=fo-with-the-foes-chicago-bulls-4
http://philadunkia.com/?p=13485#commentsWed, 11 Mar 2015 18:32:13 +0000http://philadunkia.com/?p=13485This ‘Eagles news dominates this city’ edition of “Fo’ with the Foes” – Philadunkia’s advanced scouting series which with the help of an accomplished journalist from around the NBA beat or blog world, previews key upcoming 76ers games – features tonight’s opponent, the Chicago Bulls who have lost 3 straight games; are 5-5 in their last 10; and will be without Taj Gibson, Jimmy Butler and of course Derrick Rose tonight.

After the jump, I’ll look a Fo’ key items for tonight’s game. Additionally, we’ll get a little more insight into the Chicago team the Sixers face tonight from our colleague Chris Terzic at blogabull.com as Chris will answer Fo’ questions on ‘da Bulls from us here at Philadunkia.

Here are Fo’ key items I will be watching for tonight…

1) Noel to Keep Rolling: Unless you have been sleeping down at the NovaCare Complex, you are aware of how well Nerlens Noel has played of late (11.2 ppg. & 12 rpg. per night over his last 5 games). The historical stats comparisons coming out of the Sixers PR machine are simply ridiculous. Still, I will be very interested to watch what kind of night Noel has against a Bulls frontline that boasts Joakim Noah, Pau Gasol and Nikola Mirotic. I want to see Brown and the 76er guards get #4 involved early to keep his momentum going.

2) Thomas Robinson’s Minutes: Over his last 5 games,“TNasty” is putting up career best stats (9 & 7 per night) despite receiving limited minutes (18 mpg.) from Brett Brown. The Bulls boast a very solid frontline and I would be interested to see how Robinson plays against this group of elite bigs. But tonight (and for the rest of the season), I want Brown to give Robinson extended minutes (25+) against the Bulls, so I can start to gauge if this kid can make a REAL contribution to the Sixers’ future or if he is just one of Hinkie’s experiments during Tank 2.0.

3) The Sixers SG Spot: WithJason Richardson inactive and JaKarr Sampson continuing to struggle (0-7; 0 points), Hollis Thompson posted a near double-double (19 & 9; 5-7 from three) against Atlanta. I tip my cap to HT for an outstanding performance, but I am done with him as I do not believe he has a future here in Philadunkia nation. Tonight, I am begging Sampson to shake out of the extended slump he is currently experiencing and start to show Hinkie that he deserves a roster spot in 2015-16 because I like the flashes of NBA skills I have seen from JaKarr.

4) Get A Win, Maybe??: I realize that in my “on board with Hinkie” state of mind that I should be rooting for the Sixers to lose tonight and draw closer to the Knicks in the race for the most ping pong balls. But I’m not 100% in that place with this game because I don’t believe the Sixers will play ever poorly enough down the stretch of this season to fall below the NYK in the standings. Thus winning this one tonight won’t hurt Hinkie’s plan all that much. And I think if the Sixers come out and play the way they did against Atlanta, that they can steal a win from a banged up Bulls squad that has lost 3 in a row; is 5-5 in their last 10 and has dropped 6 of 8 on the road recently. One last two game win streak in 2015-16 would be great for this young roster and their weary head coach.

Philadunkia: Obviously the Bulls are very banged up — Rose, Butler and Gibson are currently out — and the team has lost three straight. What do you think has to happen among the healthy players for this team to get back on track?

Chris Terzic at blogabull.com: Well, this team — without Rose, Butler and Gibson — is going to be wildly inconsistent. The thing about this group is that unlike the past, there’s so many below average team and individual defenders. Tom Thibodeau’s system is proven and speaks for itself, but guys like Aaron Brooks and Pau Gasol are regularly exploited on defense, and the system can’t hide their flaws. So while I believe the common answer here is to play better defense, I don’t see that happening. What this team needs to do is take care of the ball better — 15-plus turnovers in back-to-back nights — and realize that even without three of their top four scorers, they can still compete with any team in the league on a nightly basis.

Philadunkia: With the injuries, the Bulls are missing a good deal of fire power. So what can we expect from the Bulls on offense tonight?

Chris Terzic at blogabull.com: Expect plenty of Pau Gasol. Pau tends to have his best games against undersized frontcourts, and I’m not sure Philly has anybody on their roster who can defend him one-on-one in the post, which I’m sure the Bulls will go to often. I notice Nerlens Noel is starting to come along on the defensive end, but length and size give Pau troubles, not so much agility. If not straight post iso, though, the Bulls will run Aaron Brooks and Pau in pick-and-pop, which is an area Pau has been deadly from all year. Last I checked, he was shooting nearly 50 percent from midrange. Other than that, the Bulls will put Joakim Noah in the high post and run the offense through him to give Pau a break. It’s not a preferred alternative, but Thibodeau is comfortable letting Noah run read-and-react based stuff out of the high post with Jo. So expect both of those things, for sure.

Philadunkia: Pau Gasol has posted 5 straight double-doubles and is having an amazing season overall. Is Pau having as great of a year as looks from a distance?

Chris Terzic at blogabull.com: I gotta give Pau his due because considering his bargain of a contract and the production he’s given the Bulls all season, he’s simply been outstanding for the most part. On offense, great is an accurate way to describe his play. However, on defense, Pau is far from great. Sure, his block numbers look good. He’s a good shot-blocker. But teams will pull Pau away from the basket using high pick-and-roll, and he’s simply too slow to guard it. All season here in Chicago, people have wondered why the Bulls’ defensive numbers aren’t what they were in the past under Thibs, and Gasol is as big a reason as to why that is as any. Gasol’s effort and positioning are consistently haphazard, and it’s a problem for a team that asks its big men to do so much on defense.

Philadunkia: There’s a theory on the NBA rumor mill that Thib’s style has worn this group out. What are your thoughts on that idea?

Chris Terzic at blogabull.com: I’m torn on this because on the one hand, I think Tom Thibodeau is a tremendous basketball coach. And I do believe that this season, Thibs has really lightened up and relaxed quite a bit. On the other hand, though, the Bulls have always battled injury — or so it seems — while under Thibs, and at what point does his demanding approach and constant injury stop being purely coincidental? Do I think he has worn this particular team out? No. But do I think he deserves criticism for playing his best players too many minutes in the regular season? Yes. Again, I think Thibs has improved by all accounts this season, but I don’t know if he’s done enough to yield a return next season.